Listeria and Its Effects
Listeria and Its Effects – Recently, we heard there was a frozen fruit recall product, caused due to the possible presence of listeria. For this reason, ensuring the food we consume is hygienic is one effort to maintain a healthy body. However, it is very difficult to detect the presence of bacteria with the physical eye.
Listeria is one of the bacteria that is at risk of contaminating the food consumed. Unlike Salmonella, Listeria bacteria can survive in cold and even freezing temperatures.
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| The recalled products are linked to pineapple provided by a third-party supplier. (FDA) |
Can you imagine how dangerous these bacteria are? Listeria is also very wary of pregnant women and newborns. Listeriosis is the term for a medical condition resulting from a Listeria bacterial infection.
Is listeriosis a dangerous disease?
Most people who develop listeriosis need to be hospitalized intensively. Launching from the CDC, about one in five people infected with listeriosis die. Especially if this disease attacks pregnant women. Listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn death.
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Although more at risk experienced by pregnant women and newborns, other individuals affected by listeriosis also require intensive care considering that listeria infection can affect the nerves, so the risk of causing death.
Causes and Symptoms of Listeriosis
Listeria bacteria are commonly found in soil, water, and animal feces. A person can become infected with listeria through eating or the following:
- Raw vegetables that have been contaminated with bacteria from soil or polluted manure are then used as fertilizer.
- Contaminated meat.
- Unpasteurized milk or foods made with unpasteurized milk.
Certain processed foods such as soft cheeses, hot dogs, and deli meats have been contaminated after processing.
An unborn baby can contract a listeria infection from its mother.
When infected with listeria bacteria, you may experience fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea.
Symptoms can begin within a few days after you eat contaminated food. However, some only feel symptoms after 30 days or more before the first signs and symptoms of infection begin.
If a listeria infection has spread to the nervous system, signs and symptoms may include:
- Headache.
- Stiff neck.
- Confusion or decreased consciousness.
- Loss of balance.
- Stiff.
During pregnancy, listeria infections tend to cause mild signs and symptoms in the mother. Even so, listeria infection can have adverse effects on the fetus, such as dying in the womb or experiencing a life-threatening infection within a few days after birth. Signs and symptoms of listeria infection in newborns can be subtle. However, generally, listeriosis in newborns causes babies to lack appetite, fussiness, fever, vomiting to shortness of breath.
Listeria Treatment
Treatment of listeria depends on its severity. Patients who experience mild symptoms generally do not require special treatment and can recover on their own.
In severely symptomatic patients, pregnant women, and newborns infected with listeria, treatment should be carried out in the hospital. The doctor will give an infusion of antibiotics to treat the infection and prevent complications.
Complications of Listeria
In some cases, listeria can cause serious complications, such as:
- Preterm birth
- Miscarriage
- Stillbirth
- Brain abscess
- Infection in the inner lining of the heart (endocarditis)
- Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
- Inflammation of the lining of the brain (meningitis)
- Sepsis
To prevent listeria infection, you need to do the following tips:
- Wash hands regularly with water and soap before eating, preparing food, and after using the toilet.
- Clean cookware, cutting boards, and other food preparation surfaces with water and soap. Using warm water would be better.
- Clean raw vegetables with a vegetable brush under running water.
- Cook food until completely cooked.
- Find out what foods are at risk of causing listeria infection.
Avoid drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk or eating soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.
- Refrigerate leftovers after 2 hours and store them in sealed containers.
- Immediately consume leftovers for no more than 3-4 days.
- Avoid cross-contamination in the refrigerator or elsewhere in the kitchen.
- Make sure the refrigerator is 4 degrees Celsius or lower and the freezer is -17 degrees Celsius or lower.
Hopefully information about "Listeria and its Effects" can be a reference for you so that it can prevent all family members from being protected from contamination with Listeria bacteria.